38 responses to “Friday, 1/28/11, Public Square”

It’s a beeeeauuuutiful day in kakeland! (Hat tip to Cap’n Bill McLean.)

When the sun shines and the temps are in the high 60s even tho the calendar tells you it’s the month of January, that’s the day to enjoy some time outside. Even when you know winter will return soon it’s a really nice reprieve.

There has been lots of griping and complaining going on, with all sides participating. When I realized I wasn’t any longer hearing non-stop complaints about that job-killing Obamacare, I also realized the world has kept spinning even tho nothing has changed about that bill. A bunch of congress critters made a huge show of placing blame and making dire predictions, and then moved on, realizing The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is already becoming a benefit all Americans count on. It will be improved, not repealed. It will become as sacred as Medicare.

There seems to be no end to topics to complain about so leaving one behind and moving on is easy.

I think it might be just as easy to find something to smile about. If that’s what we’re looking for.

Sen. Al Franken, D-Min., has introduced legislation that would allow the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries.

The prohibition on negotiations was long a sore point among Democrats during the Bush years. But it was one of the first concessions President Obama made in the early going of the health care debate.

Now, with House Republicans having voted to repeal Obama’s health care overhaul, and everyone in Washington seemingly looking for something they can call common ground, the suggestion box is open for ways to tweak the law.

However, the figures show consumer spending growing at the fastest rate in four years and international trade providing a surprisingly large lift. Both show an economy that is pulling more of its own weight, an important development as government stimulus spending fades.”

If you do not acknowledge something, is that the same as it not being there?

Kinda like abortions. Social Conservatives want to ban abortions – knowing full well that abortions will continue as they have for centuries before Roe v Wade.

But if these fine godly folks can think they banned abortions – then they can go to their churches, get their heads patted by the preacher, put their coins into the church coffers – so everyone is happy. The preacher gets his money, the sinner in the pew gets his pat on the head and maybe a brownie point towards that journey to Heaven.

Lots of talk, lots of complaints. What have they actually done since they were elected? Anything that was more than an exercise in futility? I think I’ll wait until they actually do something. I was tired of ‘The Party of No’ long ago and it’s well past time for them to take actions that result in accomplishments. Now that the GOP is the majority in the House, sitting back and saying no won’t be enough (neither will reading the Constitution aloud or voting on bills they know are nothing more than political theater). Those actions without results are seen as a waste of time and money by everyone except their dedicated base.

Along with reading the Constitution, perhaps these fine Republicans might take a remedial course in American History. As clearly exhibited in the past few days, a few of the more louder voices in that Party of NO desperately needs to learn a few actual facts.

As I was reading this morning about: FBI Executes Warrants for Hackers, I was thinking how interesting it will be for those serving on federal grand juries. If any indictments are brought they will be brought by a federal grand jury — that’s the way the system works. They may be participating in the investigations and for sure will be hearing the evidence if they’re asked to indict. It’s a unique learning experience and one I will always be happy I had.

I can hardly believe it has been 25 years since the Challenger explosion.

There are a few times in my life that I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when something historical happened – and the Challenger explosion is one of those times.

I was in a Topeka nursing home teaching the nursing staff how to do all their medical records on the computer. My husband’s nursing home corporation was one of the first to go to all computerized medical records in their chain of nursing homes.

His corporation had a group of 10 nursing homes within Kansas and they needed someone with medical record knowledge plus the computer data entry experience – and my husband volunteered my services.

Anyway – I remember I was working with the Director of Nursing when her assistant came in and told us what had just happened. We all just sat there and looked at each other, numb for a few minutes, not knowing what to say. In those days, we did not have the internet at our fingertips -so we had to go to the front lobby where one of the television sets was located. The entire room was filled with people and their faces told the story – what a tragic loss and for those who watched the entire take off – they were particularly sad. For they realized they just watched as the Challenger crew were destined to their death right before the viewing public eyes.

I read someplace this morning that day may have been the first time as a nation we watched a tragedy as it happened. School children all across the country were in front of television to watch a teacher go into space.

Then do you remember in January of 1991 when again we as a nation watched together as war was waged? We’d all seen news reports of war that were well edited and shown during the evening news, but this time we watched as it happened.

Maybe the accident with the Challenger was the first time we were all tuned to see what happened in real time. When Kennedy was assassinated we watched it overandover later, but few saw it in real time. Can anyone think of a time before the Challenger when this happened?

I remember watching the news coverage about Vietnam War. Again, like you brought up, this was not in real time – but it was the first time I think alot of Americans were tuning into the news.

I think the Vietnam War news coverage was the start of when the American people became cynical about wars being fought in our country’s ‘best interest’.

I watched Oprah yesterday (which I usually don’t watch her) but Tom Brokaw and Bob Woodward was on the show. Michelle Obama was also on and the topic was how do we treat our military when they return. There were a few wounded soldiers and their families as guests. There was one mother who lost her son in 2005 and she told of how she would make several trips to Arlington Cemetery to visit her son. And this woman said something very profound – whether you agree or disagree with the war, our soldiers deserve to be remembered.

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are going to kick off a campaign in March that will address how we as a nation treat our returning soldiers. The main message was that we are all one in this country and everyone needs to just remember that and acknowledge the service our soldiers have given and continue to give.

Michelle Obama also said one thing that I have said several times on this blog. Just because a soldier’s wife or his kids do not wear a uniform, that does not make their service to the country any less. Everyone makes a sacrifice in the soldier’s life.

The soldiers cannot do what they need to do unless the people back home are supporting them.

But, of course, I am Michelle Obama will be called all kinds of names – again – for trying to do some good.

Tom Brokaw and Bob Woodward were on there because they want to bring this issue to the forefront. Because they think America has an epidemic of not being engaged.

And if we are not engaged with this issue, then how can we be sure we are doing right by our wounded soldiers needing help.

And if we are not engaged, then how can we make sure our elected leaders are doing the right thing when they declare that wars are in the best interest of our country?

People need to step up the plate and take ownership in what is going on around them. It is our duty to speak out and speak often when we see things as being wrong.

That is one thing I will give the Tea Party credit for – they are making their feelings known. But I would respect them more if their leaders-in-television speeches had their history and facts correct.

Sorry, but Dubya set the tone for this country after 9/11 when he told people to go shopping.

Honestly? I think people have become immune to tragedy.

I didn’t see the Challenger explosion. Or maybe I did and just don’t remember it. I kept asking myself what the reason for the space race had become. I still don’t have an answer for that. We learned a lot in the early years of conquering space and much of it was put to practical, everyday use. Is that still happening? Could what NASA does be used in some other way other than shooting people into space?

I’m not quite sure yet what all this is about or, for that matter, who all the major players are in this debacle. But I do know that Egypt gets alot of foreign aid from us – so in that respect, we are drawn into this mess.

Well, look here, the Republicans are trying to do something about abortion.

But wait, I thought their first priority was creating jobs?

Oh, nevermind – that was so last year…..

Seriously, I wonder why all these fine godly Republicans did not do anything about abortions or try to overturn Roe v Wade when they had total control from 2000 to 2006?

Why push this bill now? Could it be just a political ploy for 2012? Do they need to show how the world is black and white and the Democrats are the evil black ones and Republicans are the godly white ones.

For whatever reason – please note that now the Republicans want to redefine rape as ‘forcible rape’. That could open up all kinds of pandora boxes – couldn’t it?

What does Bristol Palin know about the struggles of young, unwed mothers? She’s jetting all over the country, telling people how difficult it is, while raking in the big bucks. Where is her child? Is there a nanny there to watch over him?

I had not heard about this boycott of Rush Limbaugh. But I do remember hearing about the time Rush mocked the Chinese president.

Wow – Conservative talk entertainers had better watch themselves. Glenn Beck has 400 rabbis protesting him and now Rush has the Asians after him.

What is it with Conservatives when they get caught they all want to go back to the good ol’ days to excuse their behavior. Note when Rush compared himself to Sid Caesar who was the so-called genius. Don’t look now, Rush, but this is not the good ol’ days of Sid Caesar mocking foreigners and the world is not as black and white as you would like.

I’m very proud of the way you handled yourself and that situation! Also very sorry it happened, but I can’t help thinking you made quite an impression and probably taught some lessons with your peaceful kind gesture.

Moonshadow, I heard it was tough at several of the schools in Wichita throughout the late ’60s and into the ’70s. South was one of the schools I remember hearing about. Blessings on you for your compassion and intelligence in handling the incident. Not many–if any–would’ve done the same.

The girl that helped me was in my home ec class. My home ec teacher moved me to a table with 3 black girls because she thought it would shut me up (I’ve always talked too much). She was wrong. The Jesus movement was going pretty strong in my group and I discussed Christian compassion with these girls at length. This is why she knew I would not fight. I wish I could take credit for my attitude but I owe it to my parents and grandparents. I had Mennonite grandparents and even though I was raised in a Presbyterian church, my father still instilled the peace stance of the Mennonite in me quite deeply.

From the day I met with the girl in the student lounge on I never felt threatened or uncomfortable in school again.